Mowing-machine.



J. L. PARKER. MOWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27, 1911.

1,117,515. Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Fig.1. F/qw4.

'UNTTED STATES PATENT UFFTCE.

JOHN LITTLEDALE PARKER, OF GALGATE, LANCASTER, ENGLAND,

MOWING-MACHINE.

Application filed November 27, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN LIT'ILEDALE PARKER, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residingat Ashley House, Galgate, Lancaster, in thecounty of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Mowingdflaehines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to mowing machines for cutting grass, corn andthe like and to that type of machine in which the cutting operation iseffected by a reciprocating knife or cutter bar, the V-shaped blades ofwhich are moved to and fro between the fingers of the usual finger bar.In machines of this class the knives or cutters have been moved over theupper surfaces of fixed shearing plates, or over the upper surface of afixed shearing bar carried by the finger bar and it has been found inpractice that the pressure of the material under operation forces theknife blades away from the fixed plates or bar with the result that thecutting operation is detrimentally affected and the knives are liable tobecome bent. "With a view to overcoming this objection clips have beenemployed for the purpose of retaining the knife blades in close contactwith the fixed shearing plates or bar, but even with this arrangementthe portions of the blades which project beyond the clips become bentand forced away from the aforesaid plates or bar.

According to this invention the knife blades are situated underneath thefixed shearing plates or bar and are retained in contact therewith bythe pressure of the material under operation. By this arrangementcleaner cutting is obtained, the aforesaid clips are dispensed with, theknife blades remain flat and are self sharpening by reason of theirfrictional contact under pressure with the fixed shearing plates or bar.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure v1, is a plan of part of a knifeand finger constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention.Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the finger showing the knife in section.Fig. 3, is an inverted plan of part of the fin- Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Serial No. 662,684.

ger. Fig. 4, is a plan of a portion of the finger bar together with thefingers and knife blades.

A. A, indicate the knife blades, B. B the fixed shearing plates, C, Cthe fingers, and D indicates the finger bar.

In the example shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the fingers C are fixed to theunderside of the finger bar D and terminate at their forward ends inpoints 0 which incline slightly in an upward direction as shown in Fig.2 to facilitate their passage through the material under operation. Theupper surfaces of the fingers are formed with tongues 0 and to the undersurfaces of the latter are secured the fixed plates B. The knife bladesA are situated below the shearing plates B and are screwed or otherwiseattached to a reciprocating knife bar a which is slidably mounted in arecess 0 formed in each of the fingers C betwen lugs or projections cthereon. The forward or cutting portion of the knife blade works in arecess or clearance space 0 formed between the tongue 0 and the lowerportion 0 of the finger.

By thearrangement described, the pressure of the grass or other materialunder operation against the underside of the knife blades forces thelatter in an upward direction and retains their clutting edges in closecontact with the fixed shearing plates thereby insuring clean cutting,the said plates acting as guides or supports which prevent the bladesfrom becoming bent or strained and the frictional contact under pressureof the blades with the plates exerts a sharpening effect upon the bladeswhich tends to retain the same in good cutting condition.

The type of finger shown in the figures under consideration affords alarge clearance space 0 which does not become clogged up during theworking of the machine, and the portion 0 effectually protects the knifeblade from the ground or soil.

WVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is:-

In a mowing machine, a guard finger provided with a lower main portionadapted to slide in contact with the ground, and having two integrallyformed lugs at its middle In testimony whereof I afiix my signature partwhich form1 a %uliode or channel for the in presence of two Witnesses.reception of the mi e ar, and a tongue rot jecting rearwardly from theupper par ii of JOHN LITTLEDALE PARKER 5 the front end of the finger toa point between Witnesses:

the aforesaid lugs and having a shearing ESNOLD SIMPSON MOSELEY, plateon its under surface. MALCOLM SMETHTYRST.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). l0.

